Tennis : McEnroe Rallies After Losing Service to Defeat Gullikson

John McEnroe won three straight games after losing service Thursday night and went on to defeat Tom Gullikson, 6-4, 6-3, and advance to the quarterfinals of the World Championship Tennis Shootout at Houston.

McEnroe will next meet Brad Gilbert, who defeated David Pate, 6-4, 6-2.

Against Gullikson, McEnroe fell behind, 4-3, in the first set after Gullikson broke service. But McEnroe broke back to tie, 4-4, and won the next two games to take the first set.

“Once I broke him back, I began to feel more comfortable,” McEnroe said. “I felt like I started to pick up on his serve. He has one of the best serves in tennis.”

In second set, with McEnroe ahead, 3-2, and Gullikson serving, McEnroe again broke for a 4-2 lead. He came back to win his own serve at love and finished off the 80-minute match two games later.

Earlier, Kevin Curren overcame a double-fault in the second-set tiebreaker to defeat Paul Annacone, 6-4, 7-6.

Curren was leading the tiebreaker, 6-5, and serving for the match when he double-faulted. But he still won the tiebreaker, 8-6.

McEnroe’s doubles partner, Peter Fleming, defeated Jan Gunnarsson, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals. Fleming will meet Leif Shiras, who beat Jay Lapidus, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6.